Weekly NHL Power Rankings: November 16th 2009

Click here to see last week’s rankings.

The New Jersey Devils continue to emphasize that there should be a new saying: “Road Ice Advantage”

Chicago is riding high after a perfect week and an OT win over last week’s number 1.

The Red Wings are officially back after their slow beginning to the season.

Biggest jumps of the week: Atlanta, Detroit, Florida

Biggest free-falls of the week: Edmonton, Anaheim, New York Rangers

TOP 10

1. New Jersey Devils (+2 spots)
Record: 14-4-0
Last Week: 3-0-0
Games This Week: (@ PHI, @ NSH, @ DAL)
There’s no place like the road. Well at least that’s how the Devils feel, as they will continue their run at the top of the conference with 3 more games away from home this week.

2. San Jose Sharks (-1 spot)
Record: 14-4-4
Last Week: 2-0-2
Games This Week: (@ NSH, vs. PHI, @ ANA)
The Sharks are clicking right now, gaining at least a point in 12 straight games. Joe Pavelski is fitting right in coming back from his injury with 7 points in 6 games.

3. Chicago Blackhawks (+5 spots)
Record: 12-5-2
Last Week: 4-0-0
Games This Week: (@ CGY, @ EDM, @ VAN)
Chicago used the comforts of home to reel off 4 straight wins this week and pull 3 points ahead of the surging Red Wings. Patrick Kane is heating up, getting points in 7 straight.

4. Calgary Flames (+1 spot)
Record: 12-4-2
Last Week: 2-0-1
Games This Week: (vs. COL, vs. CHI, @ LAK)
Iggy follows up his NHL 1st star of the week with 3 goals in 3 wins for the Flames this week. Canada is hoping he keeps this pace and carries it on to Vancouver.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins (-3 spots)
Record: 13-7-0
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. ANA, @ OTT, @ ATL)
Malkin’s return against the Bruins helped the Pens end their 4 game slide. They’ll look for two in a row against the sluggish Ducks at the beginning of the week.

6. Washington Capitals (+1 spot)
Record: 12-4-4
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (@ NYR, vs. MTL, @ TOR)
Life without Ovie wasn’t so bad after all. The Caps went 4-2 scoring 23 goals in the process. Alexander Semin wasn’t much help, scoring only 2 of those goals.

7. Colorado Avalanche (-3 spots)
Record: 12-5-3
Last Week: 0-1-1
Games This Week: (@ CGY, @ EDM, @ VAN)
The Avs had a subpar week registering only 1 point and getting drubbed by the Canucks 8-2. Expect them to make it a closer game when the two teams match up again this week in Vancouver.

8. Buffalo Sabres (+2 spots)
Record: 12-4-1
Last Week: 3-0-0
Games This Week: (vs. FLA, vs. BOS, @ OTT)
The Sabres are pulling away in the race for the Northeast with the balanced play of Tim Connolly, Thomas Vanek, and Bill Hader… I mean Drew Stafford.

9. Philadelphia Flyers (-3 spots)
Record: 10-5-1
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. NJD, @ LAK, @ SJS, @ PHX)
Chris Pronger has been tearing it up in The City of Brotherly Love: 4-13-17 +13. His line partner Matt Carle will be getting Chris a big fat turkey come Thanksgiving.

10. Detroit Red Wings (+6 spots)
Record: 10-5-3
Last Week: 3-0-0
Games This Week: (vs. DAL, vs. FLA, @ MTL)
After a below average start the Wings have stormed back with 3 big wins this week. What’s more impressive is that they scored 19 goals in those 3 games without the assistance of their valued worker Mule.


MIDDLE 10

11. Atlanta Thrashers (+12 spots)
Record: 10-6-1
Last Week: 3-0-0
Games This Week: (vs. BOS, vs. PIT, vs. TAM)
Don Waddell is not regretting grabbing Rich Peverley. The Guelph, Ontario native leads the team with 21 points in 16 games and has been one of the major reasons why this team has been winning.

12. Columbus Blue Jackets (no movement)
Record: 10-6-2
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. EDM, @ DAL, @ NSH)
After getting demolished 9-1 by Detroit, the Blue Jackets bounced back nicely with a 3-2 win over the Ducks. Rick Nash is running away with the scoring lead on the team, a full 10 points ahead of Antoine Vermette.

13. Los Angeles Kings (-2 spots)
Record: 12-7-2
Last Week: 2-2-0
Games This Week: (@ FLA, vs. PHI, vs. CGY)
Los Angeles has been the most bi-polar team this year with a perfect stretch one week and a winless one the next. They continued that pattern this week with a blowout loss to the Thrashers followed by a low scoring win over the Bolts.

14. New York Rangers (-5 spots)
Record: 11-8-1
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. WSH, vs. FLA)
After a hot start the Rangers have faded into obscurity. Offseason addition Chris Higgins has been disappointing, recording only 5 points in 19 games so far.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning (-1 spot)
Record: 7-4-6
Last Week: 1-0-1
Games This Week: (@ PHX, @ ANA, @ CAR, @ ATL)
With Vinny Lecavalier still slumping in the goal scoring department, winger Ryan Malone has stepped up with 12 goals this season. Antero Niittymaki is playing like a man possessed: 5-1-3 1.93 GAA .939 SV%

16. Dallas Stars (-1 spot)
Record: 8-5-6
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (@ DET, vs. CLB, vs. NJD)
With a tough week ahead, the Stars are looking for more production from sophomore Fabian Brunnstrom. Only 1 goal in 17 games from the Swede has his name flying about in trade rumours.

17. Phoenix Coyotes (-4 spots)
Record: 11-8-0
Last Week: 1-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. TAM, @ MIN, @ STL, vs. PHI)
Despite a strong record, the Coyotes still can only attract a pathetic attendance of 9,700 per game. To put that into perspective, the Hershey Bears of the AHL play to a bigger crowd of 10,000 each night.

18. New York Islanders (+2 spots)
Record: 7-6-7
Last Week: 1-0-2
Games This Week: (@ BOS, @ MIN, @ STL)
The Isles have continue to pile on the OT losses. In the new NHL these OT losses can be precious once the playoff race comes along. John Tavares is carrying the team, leading them in goals and assists.

19. Ottawa Senators (-2 spots)
Record: 8-6-3
Last Week: 1-1-1
Games This Week: (vs. TOR, vs. PIT, vs. BUF)
The man that many Sens fans claimed was “the best goalie Ottawa has ever had” has been quite average just like the rest of the team, sporting an .892 SV%.

20. Boston Bruins (+2 spots)
Record: 8-7-4
Last Week: 1-0-2
Games This Week: (vs. NYI, @ ATL, @ BUF)
The Bruins are showing that depth plays a huge role as they are playing decent hockey even without two of their stars, Milan Lucic and Marc Savard, and a bear cub that hibernated north in exchange for picks.

BOTTOM 10

21. Nashville Predators (+4 spots)
Record: 9-8-1
Last Week: 2-1-0
Games This Week: (vs. SJS, vs. NJD, vs. CLB)
Only Carolina has scored fewer goals than the Preds. Why isn’t Nashville as bad as the Canes then? Defence. Preds have allowed 19 less goals than their Southeast counterpart.

22. Vancouver Canucks (-3 spots)
Record: 11-10-0
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. COL, vs. CHI)
The Canucks have been tough to read this year with an average record and many injuries. How much does Henrik miss Daniel? Well, Henrik gave us his best Daniel tribute last week and registered a hat trick.

23. Florida Panthers (+6 spots)
Record: 7-9-1
Last Week: 2-0-0
Games This Week: (vs. LAK, @ BUF, @ DET, @ NYR)
The Panthers are proving that they are not as awful as many thought they were with 2 wins last week. It will take many more solid efforts to change the widespread opinion that the Cats just aren’t that good.

24. Montreal Canadiens (no movement)
Record: 9-11-0
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. CAR, @ WSH, vs. DET)
Les Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge have been quite mediocre this season and have often not shown up on the defensive end. In a shutout loss to the Preds last week they allowed 55 shots while only mustering 20.

25. Edmonton Oilers (-7 spots)
Record: 8-10-2
Last Week: 0-2-1
Games This Week: (@ CLB, vs. COL, vs. CHI)
Promising youngster Andrew Cogliano has been demoted to fourth line play in Pat Quinn’s system while players like Patrick O’Sullivan, Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky play the big minutes.

26. St. Louis Blues (+1 spot)
Record: 6-8-4
Last Week: 1-2-0
Games This Week: (vs. PHX, vs. NYI)
The Blues had an anomaly of 6 goals in an outburst against the Canucks and then fell back to their regular, offensively-challenged habits and scored 2 goals in their next 2.

27. Anaheim Ducks (-6 spots)
Record: 6-9-3
Last Week: 0-2-1
Games This Week: (@ PIT, vs. TAM, vs. SJS)
The Ducks continue to disappoint registering only 1 point this week. They have yet to win 2 games in a row this season and former Conn Smythe winner J.S. Giguere wants out if he’s not starting.

28. Minnesota Wild (no movement)
Record: 7-11-2
Last Week: 1-1-2
Games This Week: (vs. PHX, vs. NYI)
After a decent season last year, many expected youngster James Sheppard to play a bigger role for the Wild this season. He hasn’t lived up to those expectations: 1 point in 17 games.

29. Toronto Maple Leafs (-3 spots)
Record: 3-10-5
Last Week: 0-3-0
Games This Week: (@ OTT, @ CAR, vs. WSH)
Optimism and progress were some of the words Leaf fans had in their heads after a stretch of 7 with at least a point. After last week’s putrid showing, Leaf fans are again preparing to watch Taylor Hall pull on a Bruins jersey.

30. Carolina Hurricanes (no movement)
Record: 3-12-4
Last Week: 1-1-1
Games This Week: (@ MTL, vs. TOR, vs. TAM)
The 14-game streak of futility has finally ended. However, unless Paul Maurice turns it around in Carolina, it will only be a matter of time until another stretch of losses begins. Check out our take on the Canes here.

Be sure to check back every Monday morning for the Power Rankings.

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